Nearly three years ago, UCSC Professor
Chris Wilmers came to tell us about the Santa Cruz Puma
Project he was beginning in our mountains. While the
project is nowhere near complete, we now know that there
are roughly twice as many lions as Wilmers had
originally estimated. Through the project’s work with
smart satellite radio collars, we are beginning to get
an understanding of how they live and move about the
landscape.

This November we are fortunate to have Yiwei Wang and
Veronica Yovovich, two fascinating members of the
project, to give a presentation on the history and
ecology of our charismatic carnivorous neighbors.
Drawing on their direct personal experience, they will
teach us about how mountain lions behave and how we
should behave around them to continue in harmony.

The project’s website, santacruzpumas.org,
has some fine photos and videos that preview some of
what Wang and Yovovich will present and a very cool Puma
Tracker that allows you to see dynamic information on
puma movement on a Google Earth background of the
region.

LOL: LAFCO Out Loud

The City of Santa Cruz (City) and UCSC are taking some
of the last steps in gaining permission to develop the
north (or upper) campus. There are a couple of lawsuits
pending (see the July/August Highlander) but currently
at stake are the water rights needed for the new
development.

LAFCO, an oversight agency that must review any changes
in local agency boundaries, will be reviewing two
proposed changes to water and sewer service. The first
(Application #928 from the City) will allow the City to
extend its “Sphere of Influence” boundary for water to
cover the proposed North UCSC campus development. The
second (Application #929 from UCSC) will authorize UCSC
to receive water and sewer services even though it is
outside the City’s current service boundary. The LAFCO
hearing will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 7, from 8:30
a.m. to noon, at the Board of Supervisors Chambers, 5th
Floor, 701 Ocean Street, Santa Cruz. A LAFCO staff
report will be available on Nov. 15 which should outline
recommendations to the board about how to respond to
the applications. This document will make clearer what
direction LAFCO is likely to take and what sort of
arguments might be useful to help create a better
outcome for Bonny Doon.

In 2008, a Comprehensive Settlement Agreement (CSA)
for two suits concerning UCSC growth and development
was reached among the City, UCSC and environmental
groups after years of contentious discourse about the
wisdom of such growth, the irreparable effects of
development and who should pay for the necessary
infrastructure (roads, housing, water).

The CSA deal insured the City would facilitate UCSC’s
LAFCO application for a water transfer from the City,
thus allowing the UCSC expansion and development to
proceed. In return, UCSC agreed to a LAFCO review of
the water service extension, to limit enrollment, to
build more student housing, to conserve water and to
help pay for water and roads. This was seen as a “win”
by the City because UCSC, as a state agency, is exempt
from local regulation and the agreement gained some
concessions from UCSC.

However, the deal included provisions that allowed
UCSC to ignore a LAFCO denial and released it from
several other obligations if LAFCO imposed restrictive
limits. Also lurking in the background is an agreement
from the 1960s that gives UCSC all the water it
needs–although it may have a questionable legal basis.

So the threat is that if the City does not voluntarily
surrender its water, UCSC might just try to take it
through legal action anyway. Prior to the CSA deal,
both the City and UCSC were battling each other over
the planned UCSC growth and the negative effects on
the City. A number of lawsuits were active and
hundreds of thousands of dollars had been spent by
both sides. So the primary issue at stake is the
planned UCSC growth, although currently, the leverage
to stop the growth, and an issue in its own right, is
water service.

Subsequent to the CSA and compelled by the City’s
complacent attitude about squandering its scarce water
resources, longtime land use and resource analyst and
lawyer Gary Patton and other experienced
environmentalists banded together as the Community
Water Coalition (CWC) to stop the water giveaway. The
group’s Facebook page contains short posts giving the
latest news about the water issue. CWC has filed a
lawsuit to block the UCSC application for water
service (#929) on the grounds that the City must be
the applicant, not UCSC. CWC also claims that the EIR
for the SOI expansion (#928) is invalid because it
violates the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA). A hearing on CWC’s appeal of the local
Superior Court’s rejection of this lawsuit is
scheduled to be heard on Nov. 8.

A map of the planned development, the current sphere
of influence (SOI) limit and two proposed alternative
new SOI limits are shown on the Final EIR, page
3-25–see the “Changes to DEIR” section of the City’s
EIR web site at
cityofsantacruz.com/index.aspx?page=1379.

Several
salient features of the new SOI limit and of the
development plan are:

•
The inclusion of an unnecessary section of campus
reserve land in the most northern part of the proposed
SOI. Presumably this is to allow UCSC to “give up”
something for compromise or it signals their intention
to develop this area at a later date.

• A
new fairly straight (aka, fast) major road through the
development area linking the east and west campus.

• A
major access road linking the new development road to
Empire Grade near Waldorf School. This will be a third
entrance to UCSC and there is no reason to think that
it won’t be heavily used when the West entrance gets
backed up during busy times of day.

•
Employee housing, student housing, sports facilities
and academic buildings. LAFCO’s comments to the City’s
EIR for the SOI expansion state that LAFCO prefers the
alternative 2 Modified SOI in the map to the more
extensive proposed boundary and that LAFCO would
prefer an annexation rather than an SOI expansion (the
final EIR was modified to include an annexation
option).

Some of the effects of the development on the Bonny
Doon area are:

•
Increased pressure on housing here, especially rental
housing, due to the new planned entrance being closer
to Bonny Doon and to many more students. The current
dorm style sub-monster homes near the
Felton-Empire/Empire Grade intersection may be the
first of many.

•Urban
housing
density and urban services in otherwise rural Bonny
Doon planning area the thin end of the wedge.

•Reduced
access
to Santa Cruz because of increased traffic on the Cave
Gulch corridor.

•
Pressure on local water resources, including North
Coast streams and potentially groundwater resources
due to limited City water resources.

The
City is considering a desalination plant because of
the water shortfall, however, approval for that plant
is far from certain. Any over-commitment of water is
very shortsighted and irresponsible to current water
customers. Gerald Weber, a geologist with UCSC,
suggests that UCSC pump water from the vast
underground Karst system that underlies UCSC and much
of Bonny Doon. He claims there are 3,000 acre-feet
under UCSC alone. It is unclear how much the mining of
this water would affect the wells of Bonny Doon
residents.

Some of the effects on the City of Santa Cruz are:

•Extreme
pressure
on very limited water resources–the city will not have
enough water in many years. The desalination plant
fate is unclear and uptake from streams is limited by
the need to protect in-stream fish resources. The
current estimate is that the City will have to give up
300 to 800 million gallons a year, depending on stream
flows from rainfall.

• Increased
traffic.

• Increased
housing
pressure due to students not housed on campus.

• Damage
to
ecosystem services to the city from Bonny
Doon–erosion, biodiversity loss, habitat loss.

Regardless of the outcome of the Dec. 7 LAFCO hearing,
the growth issue is far from resolved. CWC may seek
redress from the court system if the LAFCO approval
goes through and UCSC could simply proceed with the
development as planned while ignoring its impact on
the City if the application is denied.

It is important to show up in force at the meeting,
partly to show UCSC the level of opposition is great
and partly to show the City that they made a mistake.

Take
Action!

There are a number of actions individuals and groups can
take if you would like to oppose the expansion and water
giveaway, ranging from simple to involved:

•Come to the LAFCO hearing Dec. 7.

•Speak up at the LAFCO hearing. Read the staff
report on Nov. 15 and address any relevant issues.

•Meet with LAFCO commissioners and ask them what
their thinking is on both applications and particularly,
what type of testimony or information they would find
most helpful in making their decision. Information on
the LAFCO commissioners and the LAFCO process can be
found on the LAFCO website at santacruzlafco.org. For
commissioners, look at the “Contact us” section for
their names. Most of them are also public servants and
can be contacted through their respective agencies. For
procedures, look at the “Policy and Rules” section then
the “Spheres of Influence Policies and Guidelines”
paragraph as well as the “Extraterritorial
Service”paragraph. This is a more advanced prospect but
will give you insight on how they will proceed with the
hearing and what issues they need to consider. Warning:
this is dry reading.

•Write letters to the Valley Press, the City on
the Hill, the Santa Cruz Sentinel and the San Jose
Mercury News.

•Contact a reporter at any of the above newspapers
and ask them to write about the story, especially from a
rural Bonny Doon perspective.

•Review the comment section of the “Sphere of
Influence Amendment– Final EIR,” available at the city
website at cityofsantacruz.com/index. aspx?page=1379.
This will give you details on many of the issues that
the expansion brings up. Many of these issues were not
resolved and can be addressed at the LAFCO hearing. In
particular, the variability in rainfall and
meaninglessness of a “normal” water year as brought up
by RBDA chairman Joe Christy. Also the biodiversity
issues that were subsumed under a proposed City Habitat
Conservation Plan (HCP).

•Organize an event on the UCSC campus to get
students more aware of the issues.

A
Hole Story, Unfinished

Bridges,
buildings, dams and aqueducts are the legacy of
limestone from Bonny Doon quarries, but a vast hole was
left behind and a year and a half after the Cemex
limestone quarry’s closure and nothing has been done to
stabilize or revegetate the area.

During the long process of seeking approval for quarry
expansion Cemex’s Rob Walker characterized their active
operations as “scraping the bowl.” Now we learn that
scraping the bowl has left slopes at the quarry’s rim
that are too steep. These slopes must be stabilized or
laid back to meet safety guidelines, but the edge is so
close to the existing quarry boundary lines that
Cemex-owned property adjacent to the quarry may have to
be used to provide the necessary “layback” distance and
setbacks.

Approvals for changes in the Reclamation Plan will be a
long time coming and involve an Environmental Review and
a public hearing before the Planning Commission.
Although county staff, tasked with enforcing the County
Mining Code and the State’s Surface Mining and
Reclamation Act, continues to be very lenient with
Cemex, at least some reclamation and restoration
activity is taking place at the shale quarry below
Redwood Meadows Ranch. A major stream mitigation project
required of Cemex, dating from their 1997 permit review,
has yet to be implemented.

The reclamation process must also be viewed in the
context of the other slow moving process that involves
the land surrounding the quarries: the transfer of
ownership of the Coast Dairies property. Somehow,
someday, the recreational access envisioned by the Trust
for Public Land will have to be implemented by the
Bureau of Land Management in a manner that provides
public safety around the abandoned quarries.

The Multiple Uses of Bonny Doon Roads

We all love the rural, natural setting and peaceful life
of Bonny Doon. That is the nature of being a “Dooner,”
and preserving that quality is the mission of your RBDA.
The public roads throughout Bonny Doon connect us to
each other, work and access town to see friends, pick up
groceries, get some gas, and in general have a life
outside of our local paradise setting. Many of us use
these same roads for biking and walking. It is no
surprise that come the weekend we are widely sharing our
roads with tourists, groups of bicyclists, and weekend
motorcycle enthusiasts. So how do we all share these
roads safely while honoring our quiet rural natural
setting?

Part of enjoying this beauty is staying alive and
healthy. There is no way in or out of Bonny Doon without
passing through a dangerous corridor. How about the “S”
curves with no visibility at the bottom of Bonny Doon
Road, followed by Hwy. 1 into town with the CHP patrols?
What about lower Empire Grade into UCSC? And the
morning’s Silicon Valley commute down Felton Empire Road
into Felton. Ours are all narrow two-lane roads. We are
fortunate to have the centerline rumble strips on the
main connecting roads. The County does its best (in
these tight financial times) to keep up with the ever
present potholes and slides. Many of us know these roads
so well; we zip right along and know when we can shave a
curve. But what about all of our visitors, business and
service vehicles that do the same? No easy answers, but
it is each of our responsibility to drive responsibly,
defensively, and safely. (Watch those blind curves!)

Recently I had a beautiful Indian Summer bike ride up
Bonny Doon Road, Empire Grade to Lockheed, and back
through Ice Cream Grade. Ridership picked up
dramatically after Lance Armstrong rode through on the
Tour de California. Most of the drivers that passed me
yesterday were good at sharing the road with reasonable
speed and clearance–but not all. Some cars were topping
60 mph and some motorcycles were faster still. Were
these drivers locals who know the roads very well,
weekend road adventurers, or drivers just not intent on
really sharing the road? Who knows? Most of the local
bicycle accidents are downhill speed related, an
inherent risk to cycling, and auto/bike collisions. We
really need to maintain a safe riding/driving
environment so that the auto/bike accidents that have
become common with fatalities and severe injury along
Hwy. 1 do not spread up the mountain.

The issue of walking and jogging is another interesting
matter. Walking is a healthful activity that is tied to
physical and mental health as well as longevity. I have
met more wonderful people walking along Bonny Doon Road
than any other way in the 5 years I have lived here. The
people match the natural beauty. Everyone takes the time
to visit. Once again, many cars slow down and give wide
clearance, but not all. Jumping off the road into the
ditches and poison oak is sometimes necessary. The
traffic is usually so light that the road works well,
but it would be an interesting conversation to try to
find acceptable ways to create walking easements through
some of the less densely populated areas. Could there be
open space forested trails for neighborhood
watch/walking enthusiasts? This would potentially
connect us more to nature and to each other. Could there
be legal and financial incentives to create more walking
corridors similar to the rural trails in Europe? We
certainly hope that will be part of the final resolution
of the Cemex Land and Coast Dairies.

Are there other ways to decrease traffic, save gas, save
money, meet neighbors? More ride-sharing into town?
Community Supported Agriculture central deliveries to
the school parking lot?

Just ideas. We all love it right at home, but use the
roads for so many essential activities. What do you
think? Please let us know; our contact info is below.

Ecological Reserve Happenings

As
Mother Nature continues her fascinating successional
recovery work after the Martin Fire, the humans have
also been busy this year in the Ecological Reserve.
Contractors are redoing the Reggiardo Creek
crossing, correctly this time. Ben Lomond Camp (BLC)
crews and local volunteers are clearing and
maintaining the shaded fuel breaks that enabled
firefighters to battle the Martin Fire. CDF master
sawyers have felled hazard trees killed by the
Western Pine Beetle. BLC crews have restored and
re-marked the trails, and uprooted acres of
invasive, fire-prone, nonnative broom. At our
November meeting Department of Fish & Game
Wildlife Biologist Conrad Jones, who took over
management of the Reserve this year (see the MayJune
Highlander for an interview), will give a short
presentation on what has been done and what is
coming next, answer questions, and gather local
input.

RBDA Board Nominations

Nominations for the RBDA Executive Board will take place
at the November RBDA meeting. The terms of three board
officers expire in January, those of board members Pat
Morrison, Joe Christy and Lad Wallace. The election is
held at the January Annual Meeting.

The Executive Board appointed Pat Morrison to chair a
committee to nominate candidates. Nominations can also
be made at the Nov. 9 meeting. To serve on the Executive
Board you must have been an RBDA member in good standing
as of Nov. 1. Since membership becomes effective 30 days
after an application is submitted and dues are paid,
anyone wishing to run for the board must be a member or
have submitted an application by Oct. 1.

If you are committed to the RBDA mission of keeping
Bonny Doon rural and natural, please call a current
board member or email the board via our web site,
bonnnydoon.got.net.

What Do YOU Think?

The RBDA
Board is soliciting articles of between 300 and 1,000
words from our membership for future issues of The
Highlander. We have a wealth of experience and
knowledge in our members, and we are certain that
there are those of you who would be willing to share
your thoughts.

Authors
of articles chosen for publication may choose to have
their authorship noted or may remain anonymous. The
Board will review submittals and choose according to
its editorial needs and constraints. We will make
every effort to include your submittals, but must use
our discretion in whether or not to publish them. We
will attempt to include them in the next issue when
possible. Articles should be submitted to the Board by
clicking
here and following the links.

Bonny Doon's voice in preserving our special
quality of life,
The Highlander is mailed free to Bonny Doon
residents prior to the
RBDA General Meetings, which are usually held
on second Wednesdays of
January, March, May, July, September and
November.
We encourage you to participate.

Send mail correspondence to the
Highlander Editor at the above address,
or by email, below.